Garden tips, DIY and décor advice, green living tidbits and information for homesellers from GateHouse News Service. Home Help helps you prep your house for the seasons, find out ways to do chores and repairs better, and learn about new products for
...

Garden tips, DIY and décor advice, green living tidbits and information for homesellers from GateHouse News Service. Home Help helps you prep your house for the seasons, find out ways to do chores and repairs better, and learn about new products for your humble abode.

Recent Posts

Cleaning gutters once a year — after plenty of leaves, twigs and other debris have piled up — helps prevent problems such as water damage, roof damage and flooding.

Oct. 28, 2013
12:26 p.m.

Tip of the Week

If the holidays aren’t yet on your mind, it’s time to get out a pad and paper and tackle an important task — maintaining your home before winter.

According to HomeAdvisor, investing a small amount into your home for fall maintenance can have a huge effect on future projects and your long-term budget. And that means more money saved for the holiday gift-giving season.

Find a professional near you at HomeAdvisor.com. Here are some tips from the home-improvement resource:

• Winterize sprinklers. Have a professional attach an air compressor to your sprinkler system to blow out the water from the lines, pipes and other parts. It’s important that no water is left in the system to prevent it from freezing, expanding and potentially breaking.

• Clean gutters. Cleaning them once a year — after plenty of leaves, twigs and other debris have piled up — helps prevent problems such as water damage, roof damage and flooding.

• Sweep your chimney. All fireplaces, chimneys, flues and venting system should be inspected at least once a year, per National Fire Protection Association recommendations.

• Service your furnace. Save on heating costs by getting your furnace serviced before winter. Don’t forget to take the time to change your furnace filter regularly, too.